# Serket

Serket /ˈsɜːrˌkɛt/ (Ancient Egyptian: srqt) is the goddess of protection against the venomous stings and bites of scorpions in Egyptian mythology. She was primarily worshiped in Lower Egypt during the Predynastic Period (c. 6000 - c. 3150 BCE). Serket is often depicted as a woman whose head is surmounted by a scorpion with its tail is ready to sting, an ankh in one hand, and a was-sceptre in her other. Her name, also rendered as Serqet, Selkis, or Selket, is a shortened version of 'Serket hetyt' which means "she who causes the throat to breathe."

## Old Kingdom
### Name and Roles

She is associated with healing, magic, and protection. Another interpretation of her name is, 'she who gives breath.' As many of the venomous creatures of Egypt could prove fatal, Serket was considered a protector of the dead, particularly being associated with venoms and fluids that cause stiffening.
It has been suggested that Serket's identification with a scorpion may be a misinterpretation of the phrase, 'she who gives breath'; it is possible that it could refer not to a scorpion, but rather a water scorpion (Nepidae). According to this hypothesis, the meaning behind Serket's name refers to the way water scorpions can breathe underwater. She was seen as one who could cure scorpion stings and the effects of other venoms such as snakebites. As such, Serket was often said to protect the deities from Apep, the great snake-demon of evil.
During the Old Kingdom she held a protective role around the throne of the king. However, her primary role was with the funerary cult. She was said to be the protector of the tents of embalmers and is one of the tutelary goddesses depicted on the canopic chest which contains four canopic jars. Qebehsenuef, is said to guard the canopic jars and it is Serket's job to protect him along with Neith, Isis, and Nephthys. This role also coined her the title of 'Mistress of the beautiful house,' referring to the embalming pavilion.
Eventually, Serket began to be identified with Isis, sharing imagery and parentage, until finally, Serket was said to be merely an aspect of Isis, whose cult had become dominant.
Part of a series on :
Ancient Egyptian religion :
Beliefs
Afterlife
Creation myths
Isfet
Maat
Maa Kheru
Mythology
Numerology
Osiris myth
Philosophy
Soul :
Practices
Canopic jars
Embalming ritual
Funerals
Mortuary temples
Offering formula
Opening of the mouth
Pyramids
Temples
Veneration of the dead :
Deities (list)Ogdoad
Amun and Amunet
Heh and Hauhet
Kek and Kauket
Nu and Naunet
Ennead
Atum
Geb
Isis
Nephthys
Nut
Osiris
Set
Shu
Tefnut
Triads
Theban Triad
Elephantine Triad
A
Aani
Aati
Abaset
Abtu
Ahmose-Nefertari
Aker
Akhty
Amenhotep I
Amenhotep, son of Hapu
Amesemi
Am-heh
Ammit
Amu-Aa
Anat
Andjety
Anhur
Anput
Anubis
Anuket
Apedemak
Apep
Apesh
Apis
Aqen
Arensnuphis
Ash
Assessors of Maat
Astarte
Aten
B
Baal
Baalat Gebal
Babi
Banebdjedet
Ba-Pef
Bastet
Bat
Bata
Bennu
Bes
Beset
Buchis
C
Cavern deities of the underworld
D
Dedun
Dionysus-Osiris
Djedefhor
Duamutef
Duau
G
Gate deities of the underworld
Gengen-Wer
H
Ha
Hapi
Hapy
Harmachis
Harpocrates
Harsomtus
Hathor
Hatmehit
Hauron
Hedetet
Hedjhotep
Heka
Hemen
Hemsut
Henet
Heqaib
Heqet
Hermanubis
Hermes Trismegistus
Heru-ur
Heryshaf
Hesat
Horus
Hu
I
Iabet
Iah
Iat
Igai
Ihy
Ikhemu-sek
Imentet
Imhotep
Imsety
Ipy
Irer
Ishtar
Iunit
Iusaaset
J
Jupiter Ammon
K
Kagemni I
Kebechet
Khensit
Khenti-Amentiu
Khenti-kheti
Khepri
Khereduankh
Kherty
Khnum
Khonsu
Kneph
Kolanthes
Kothar-wa-Khasis
M
Maahes
Maat
Mafdet
Mandulis
Medjed
Mehen
Mehet-Weret
Mehit
Menhit
Meret
Meretseger
Meskhenet
Min
Mnevis
Montu
Mut
N
Nebethetepet
Nebtuwi
Nefertem
Nehebkau
Nehmetawy
Neith
Nekhbet
Nemty
Neper
Nepit
P
Pakhet
Perit
Petbe
Ptah
Ptahhotep
Q
Qebehsenuef
Qebui
Qed-her
Qetesh
R
Ra
Raet-Tawy
Rekhyt
Rem
Renenutet
Renpet
Renpetneferet
Repyt
Resheph
S
Sah
Satis
Sebiumeker
Sedjem
Seker
Sekhmet
Serapis
Serket
Seshat
Shai
Shed
Shesmetet
Shezmu
Sia
Sobek
Sopdet
Sopdu
Souls of Pe and Nekhen
T
Ta-Bitjet
Tatenen
Taweret
Tayt
Teka-her
Thoth
Tjenenyet
Tutu
U
Unut
W
Wadjet
Wadj-wer
Weneg
Wepset
Wepwawet
Werethekau
Wosret
Y
Yam :
Creatures
Akhekh
Criosphinx
Griffin
Hieracosphinx
Medjed
Serpopard
Set animal
Sphinx
Uraeus :
Characters
Djedi
Djadjaemankh
Rededjet
Ubaoner :
Locations
Aaru
Akhet
Benben
Duat
Land of Manu
The Indestructibles :
Symbols and objects
Ankh
Anra scarab
Atef
Cartouche
Cowroid
Corn mummy
Crook and flail
Crown of justification
Deshret
Djed
Egyptian obelisk
Egyptian pool
Eye of Horus
Eye of Ra
Hedjet
Hemhem crown
Hennu
Horus on the Crocodiles
Hypocephalus
Imiut fetish
Khepresh
Kneph
Menat
Modius
Nebu
Nemes
Neshmet
Ouroboros
Pschent
Scarab
Seqtet boat
Serekh
Shen ring
Solar barque
Tyet
Ushabti
Vulture crown
Was-sceptre
Winged sun :
Writings
Amduat
Books of Breathing
Book of Caverns
Book of the Dead
Book of the Earth
Book of Gates
Book of the Heavenly Cow
Book of Traversing Eternity
Coffin Texts
The Contendings of Horus and Seth
Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld
Festival Songs of Isis and Nephthys
Great Hymn to the Aten
Litany of the Eye of Horus
Litany of Re
Pyramid Texts
Spell of the Twelve Caves :
Festivals
Beautiful Festival of the Valley
Cattle count
Coronation of the pharaoh
Min festival
Mysteries of Osiris
Opet Festival
Sed festival :
Related religions
Atenism
Church of the Most High Goddess
Gnosticism
Hermeticism
Kemetic Orthodoxy
Kemetism
Kushite religion
Mysteries of Isis
Temple of Set
Thelema :
Ancient Egypt portal :
vte :

## Middle Kingdom

During the Middle Kingdom, Egyptian myth says that Serket's help is required in the Underworld where according to the Book of the Two Ways she guards a twist in the pathway. She is also given credit for binding and containing the snake deity, Apophis (or Apep).

## New Kingdom

Serket was thought to be one of the mother goddesses and was given the title, 'Serket the great, the divine mother.' According to history of the Near East, the scorpion was often seen as a symbol of motherhood. As early as the Old Kingdom, Serket is said to have nursed the king. In the New Kingdom records of the birth of Amenophis III (or Amenhotep III) in the Luxor Temple, and in the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, Serket is seen with Neith assisting the god Amun and the queen in the marriage bed. She has also appeared with Nephthys in the myth of the birth of Horus where the two goddesses assisted Isis in protecting the infant god from the bites or stings of deadly animals. In the same myth, Isis and her unborn child are protected by seven scorpions said to be emanations of Serket.

## Dedications and Rituals

The cult of Serket is known to have existed from at least the First Dynasty, and is attested on a funerary stela from Saqqara. The majority of her worship was seen during the Old Kingdom. She is not known to have had any temples erected in her honor, yet she was an important goddess to the kings of the Predynastic Period, particularly Scorpion I and Scorpion II, for her protection against the deadly, venomous animals of Lower Egypt.
In January 2025 a group of French-Swiss archaeologists discovered the tomb of the chief palace physician in Saqqara, named Tetinebefou. In his temple there is reference to the goddess Serket in that Tetinebefou was said to be the 'director of medicinal plants and conjurer of the goddess Serket.' Aside from this discovery, and although Serket is said to have powers that can be utilized by the living for healing venomous bites, she is rarely included in spells concerning scorpion stings.

## Family

Little is known of her genealogy, but she is sometimes credited as the daughter of Neith and Khnum, making her a sister to Sobek and Apep.
Some myths depict her as the mother of Nehebu-Kau.

## Gallery

* Late Period bronze figure of Isis-Serket
* Serket and her scorpion, Edfu Temple
* Serket as seen in the Tomb of Nefertari